Two senior Kitui county officers who were wanted by the EACC finally turned themselves in on Monday.
Chief procurement officer Joshua Munyaka and former acting Trade chief officer Francis Kea had been on the run after the Kitui county principle prosecution counsel, Bonny Okemwa, recommended their arrest and prosecution on January 9. They, alongside three co-accused, were accused of flouting procurement laws in the purchase of five trucks for livestock transportation.
The three — Land and Infrastructure chief officer Jeremiah Kisilu, senior procurement officer Rodgers Sande and former acting county Treasury chief officer June Munyao — were charged on Friday with procurement malpractices involving Sh891 million.
Munyaka and Kea were detained after presenting themselves at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission offices, Nairobi, in the company of lawyer Morris Kimuli.
Lower Eastern EACC acting director Ben Murei told the Star on the phone that the two were immediately held, awaiting arraignment in Kitui on Tuesday.
A letter from the office of the director of public prosecution dated December 11, 2019, to the EACC chief officer said there was sufficient evidence establishing criminal culpability on the part of the suspects. It recommended their prosecution.
The letter by the deputy director of public prosecutions, Emily Kamau, was copied to Okemwa. Okemwa approved the charges against the two county officers, kicking off the manhunt. Their phones were switched off.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua welcomed the move by the EACC. He said it was imperative to ensure any person said have misused public resources is prosecuted. He rooted for accountability to spur economic development.
“Those who have messed up with county resources in whichever way must face the full force of the law. I advise officers employed by the county government of Kitui that accountability is personal and defy orders from politicians to misappropriate funds as they would be held personally accountable,” he said.
